New Delhi: Justifying the crackdown on Baba Ramdev’s ‘satyagraha’ against corruption, the AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh termed the yoga guru as ‘fraud’ and also demanded an inquiry into thousands of crores of rupees of property owned by him.

Congress on Sunday accused Ramdev for ‘inciting people’ despite striking a deal with the government for ending the protest.Singh demanded an inquiry into the Income Tax exemption granted to the yoga guru, who is also into the business of manufacturing Ayurvedic medicine.

"Congress has nothing to do with this (action). It has been done by the local administration," Singh said in the first reaction from the Congress on the police action.

The police action against Ramdev and his supporters drew sharp criticism from various quarters. Civil society activists termed the action as "inhuman" with eminent lawyer and former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan demanding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation.

He also claimed that Ramdev's fast was an "out-and-out RSS affair."

"From day one, it was inspired and engineered by the RSS which wanted to divert the attention of the people from its terror activities that have come to light," he said.

"Don't bring any politics in this. The kind of treatment needed to be meted out to a fraud has been meted out to him," Singh said.

The government had earlier "compromised its position" as it wanted to dissuade the yoga guru from undertaking the "unnecessary fast" and had therefore sent its senior ministers including Pranab Mukherjee to him.

"From 1994 to 2011, whatever this fraud has done, there should be a thorough probe," Singh said.

Going all out against Ramdev, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister said, "He is a fraud. He strikes a deal with the Government at the Claridges Hotel, but incites people at the Ramlila Maidan".

"Delhi is country's capital. You cannot allow Ramdev to run riot in Delhi. He took the Ramlila maidan to carry out a yogic shivir. There was no yoga. He (utilised it) to agitate to incite people," he said.

Coming down heavily on the Baba, Singh alleged that the yoga guru had played fraud on everyone from his guru Karam Vir to his disciples and followers as also on the people.

"One Rajesh Dikshit who has been known to be close to him is missing," he alleged.

Suggesting that the Baba was hand-in-glove with the RSS and the BJP, he wondered why the yoga guru fails to talk about corruption in BJP-ruled states.

Singh also drew attention to the issues of adulterated substances allegedly used in ayurvedic preparations brought out by the Baba, a issue which he said was raised by CPI-M leader Brinda Karat earlier.

Besides, he wondered how the yoga guru could enter into the business of food park.

Sibal lashes out at Ramdev

Seconding Digvijay Singh’s voice, Union Minister Kapil Sibal, who was holding negotiations with Ramdev over the last few days, said there were apprehensions about law and order situation in Delhi as Ramdev had collected 50,000 people for "political aasan" (manoeuver) although he had sought permission for a yoga camp for a gathering of 5,000 only.

"It was not a Yoga platform, but a political platform. The law and order had to be enforced in Delhi. We did not want any disruptions in that," he told reporters.

Replying to a question, he said the party and the government were united on the police action.

"Absolutely 100 per cent. No such action takes place without 100 per cent unity in the government and the party," the minister said.

Meanwhile, he also rejected BJP's allegations that the crackdown was reminiscent of Emergency.

Sibal alleged that Ramdev was in league with the RSS as he referred to the presence of Sadvi Ritambhara in his protest.

He said Ramdev was not a trustworthy person as he had "cheated" the government and also his followers.

"He reached an agreement with the government but did not tell it to his followers," Sibal said.

Sibal said government and Ramdev had reached an understanding as per which the Yoga Guru was supposed to announce calling off his strike by yesterday afternoon, but he did not honour the commitment.

"Despite assurances he did not make the announcement. We were in touch with him over phone. We waited till 5 pm. When he did not give statement we decided to go to press. We told him that," Sibal explained, referring to making public the letter written by one of his close associate.